Adjustable room dividers



May 12, 1970 R. s. MEDOW 3,511,006

"ADJUSTABLE ROOM DIVIDERS Filed Oct. 14, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet l F W, 28- 2 I I x F 28 I i w 2 3O 3o INVENTOR FIG 2 ROBERT SME May 12, 1970 R. s. MEDOW ADJUSTABLE ROOM DIVIDERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 14, 1968 tyi g INVENTOR ROBERT S. MEDOW 3,511,006 ADJUSTABLE ROOM DIVIDERS Robert S. Medow, 2051 NE. 160th St., North Miami Beach, Fla. 33162 Filed Oct. 14, 1968, Ser. No. 767,128 Int. Cl. E04]: N32; E04c 3/36 US. Cl. 52-301 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to adjustable arch structures and is more particularly directed to such structures used as room dividers and is an improvement of my patent application Ser. No. 663,741, filed on Aug. 28, 1967, for Adjustable Arch Structures, which was issued as Pat. No. 3,421,269.

The adjustable arch structures shown and described in the specification of the above indicated patent application are mounted against a wall for decorating a particular room or building and indicating a certain desired decor. Because the structure is placed against a Wall, the various pre-fabricated parts constituting the arch structure are made with an open back portion which abuts against the wall being decorated, the decorative portion consisting of a front and side walls. The present invention contemplates placing these prefabricated parts that constitute the arch structure back-to-back to form an ornamental structure that can be placed in an open room away from a wall, so as to function as a room divider.

Therefore, a principal object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable room divider constructed of adjustable arch structures fastened back-to-back.

Another object of the present invention is to provide adjustable room dividers that are readily erected by use of a screwdriver alone, utilizing stock prefabricated arch structures.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable room divider made of stock, prefabricated resin bonded glass filbers members that are adjustable to fit rooms of diflerent dimensions and height and locked together by fasteners that are concealed.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide room dividers that consist of prefabricated arch structures and columns with open back portions placed back-to-back and locked together by means of a fastener concealed within the confines of the arch structure and yet readily available to adjust or toremove the room divider if desired and erect at another location.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

United States Patent FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a room divider constructed in accordance with my invention.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of one of the pair of selfmating base portions and fastening devices.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the pair of fastening devices in interengaged position.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIGURE 1.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the means for fastening together the frieze portion thereof.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals are used to designated similar parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10 refers to a room divider which consists of a plurality. of columns 11 mounted on bases 12 with an end frieze 14 or main frieze 15 mounted thereon. Although there is shown herein an arrangement consisting of three columns, any appropriate arrangement or combination may be used as is explained in greater detail in the patent referred to hereinabove. Also, the various parts that constitute the room divider 10 are identical in construction with those of my patent, the sole material difference being in the structure of the fastening devices used in securing the various parts together; also, the room divided uses double the number of parts since the room divider is viewed from two sides while the adjustable arch is mounted against a wall and consequently viewed only from the front or exposed side.

The base 12 consists of a pair of identical base members B positioned back to back and held together by a fastening device F. Each base member B is identical in construction with that of my patent and consists of a channel cross section shaped member having a rectangular front wall 17 and side walls 18. The front wall 17 is depressed along its inner portion to form a decorative border 19 with an inset portion for receiving any desired ornamental design or embossing 20. Mounted on the base B is a semi-circular neck portion 21 whose inner periphery is scalloped to conform with the outer surface of the column 11. Along each inner edge of the side walls 18 are a plurality of bores 22, 23 with pins 24 positioned in the bores 23 on one side while the bore 22 on the other side 18 receives the free ends of the pins 24 when a pair of base portions B are joined together. On the inner surface of the wall 17 is a raised surface or dimple 24 which bears against the lower end of the column 11 to aid in securing the various parts together when the room divider 10 has been assembled.

In each of the base portions B there is a fastening device F consisting of a semicircular strap 25 at the ends of which are flanges 26 extending outwardly and radially of the straps 25. The flanges 26 are provided with a threaded bore 27 for receiving a screw bolt 28. Adjacent each of the flanges 26, there is a slotted portion 29 extending to the edge portion of the strap 25. Bores 30 formed in the upper portion of the front wall 17 of each of the base portions B receive the bolts 28 with the threaded portion of the bolts 28 threaded into the bores 27 of a fastener F. The fasteners F are so positioned that the straps 25 extend outwardly away from the front wall 17 to which it is attached and the slots 29 of one fastener F engage the slots 29 of an adjacent fastener F as shown by FIGURE 4 when the base portions B are assembled.

The base portions B are assembled by placing the rear edge portions together with the pins 24 of one base portion inserted into the bores 22 of the other base portion B. The slotted portions 29 of the fasteners F engage each other as the straps 25 form a circle and encircle the column 11 which is formed by placing two half columns together or utilizing a column constructed as a unit. Upon tightening the bolts 28 the base portions B are drawn to gether as the straps 25 engage and tighten on the column 11.

The friezes 14 and 15 are secured in position at the upper ends of the columns 11 in substantially the same manner by the use of identical fasteners F.

Like the base members 12 the friezes 14 and 15 consist of a pair of frieze portions M and N respectively, which as indicated above, become fastened back to back by the fastener F. The frieze portions M and N are identical in construction as those shown and described in my patent referred to hereinabove. The main frieze portion M consists of a main wall 31 having an approximate T-shape with arcuate side walls 32 extending along the edges of the main wall 31 to a position spaced from the top portion of the frieze portion M. The main wall 31 is recessed as at 34 to form a border 33 and there being a design in the recess 34 to conform with the design 20 in the base 12. As in the base portion B the frieze portion M is provided with a neck portion 35 whose periphery is formed into a semicircle whose inner edge conforms to the shape of the column .11.

Along the exposed edges of the sidewalls 32 are bores 36 wherein those on one side have a pin 33 mounted therein so that when a pair of frieze portions M are placed back to back, the bores 36 of one frieze portion M will receive the pins 37 so as to become self-mating and when joined together, form a frieze 15 that is viewable and attractive when seen from either side.

The frieze portion M is provided with a dimple 30 and two bores 38 at the lower surface of the main wall 31 for receiving screw bolts 39 that extend into bores 27 in the fasteners F. In the same manner that the base portions B were fastened together and to the column 11, the frieze portions M are likewise fastened together by means of the fasteners F mating a pair of frieze portions M together simultaneously with fastening same to the column 11.

Since the end friezes 14 are identical in construction with the main frieze 15 except for their having only one curved side and one flat side rather than both being curved, the above discussion as to the construction and assembly of the main frieze 15 applies identically to the construction and assembly of the end friezes 14.

It is to be noted that the room divider is adjustable in that stock sizes of the various parts can be put together to fit in rooms of different heights. Since the columns 11 are telescopically mounted between the bases 12 and friezes 14 or 15, the overall heights of my room divider 10 can be adjusted to fit the room where the room divider 10 is being positioned.

Having disclosed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An adjustable room divider comprising a pair of substantially hollow base members of substantially identical structure having a front wall, top wall and side walls and being mounted in'back to back relation with said top and side walls of one base member engaging said top and side walls of said other base member, a pair of substantially hollow friezes of substantially identical structure having a front wall and abottom wall and being in back to back relation with said bottom wall of one frieze engaging said bottom wall of said other frieze, a column'extending between said base members and said friezes and engaging said top walls of said base members and said bottom walls of said friezes and fastening means mounted about said column within each of said base members and said friezes simultaneously securing said pair of base members together, said pair of friezes together and said column to said base members and said friezes.

2. The structure as recited by claim 1 wherein said base members are provided with a plurality of bores, a bolt extending through said bores, said fastening means com prising an arcuate strap portion engaging said column, said strap portion having flange portions extending outwardly of the ends thereof, said flange portions having bores receiving said bolts whereby upon threading said bolts, said strap tightly engages the surface of said column farthest from the base member through which said bolts extend.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said arcuate strap is slotted adjacent said flanges and said slots of one arcuate strap receives the slots of a second arcuate strap.

4. The structure as recited by claim 1 wherein said friezes are provided with a plurality of bores, a bolt extending through each of said bores, said fastening means comprising an arcuate strap portion engaging said column, said strap portion having flange portions extending outwardly of the ends thereof and having bores receiving said bolts whereby said strap secures said column to the base member through which the bolts extend,

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said arcuate strap is slotted adjacent said flanges and said slots of one arcuate strap receives the slots of a second arcuate strap.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS PRICE C. FAW, JR., Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

